September 01, 2010

Fire Nyjer Morgan

(Nyjer Morgan incited a brawl and got his butt kicked by the Marlins - and his life saved by Pat Listach -- but still celebrated as he walked off the field on Wednesday night. Screengrabs of TV/MASN by Nationals Enquirer staff.)

"I'm a hard player. It's just going out there and playing the game. ... I'm just sticking up for myself - and defending my teammates. ...I'm a hard-nosed player. I'm grimy. ...I'm a hard-nosed player ...."(Nyjer Morgan, via MASN, 9/1/2010)

Forget firing Rob Dibble, who is was the color guy on TV/MASN, and certainly said some really dumb things in his time on air (both on and off the MASN payroll), but still didn't do anything on the surface to warrant a firing (unless those no-shows on Saturday and Sunday count):

If Mike Rizzo and Stan Kasten really care about character -- and that's kind of what has been suggested in the past when discussing the "aura" of certain players and inexplicably releasing Elijah Dukes during Spring Training, and shit-canning the former GM who will not be named here (yeah, yeah, yeah, he "resigned", *wink* *wink* we know) -- then Nyjer Morgan needs to be released immediately. Let him go. Make a statement.

Nyjer Morgan not only embarrassed the Nationals (again) tonight by charging the mound when the Marlins threw behind him, but he put his teammates -- many of whom, unlike Nyjer Morgan, will be important pieces on this team in the future -- in harms way. Nyjer took his medicine in the fourth inning, trotting down to first base after getting hit by a pitch - but then spit it back in the face of the Marlins by immediately stealing two bases down 14-3.

Comments

I disagree with you completely. It's been a year since he lit a fire under the Nationals at the end of last season, and while he's certainly had his ups and downs this season, what else do we get with the Nationals at this point? I find it entertaining when his old-school hockey personality comes out, and seriously, let's cut the crap about him stealing bases when they're already down by 11 runs; they put him on base on purpose, what else is he going to do in a meaningless September game?

Count me in the "fire" camp. Long, long before tonight, I had had enough of a a player who was then mostly sizzle and very little steak. Now, he's a just a trainwreck. It's hard enough to be a Nats fan. C'mon Mike Rizzo, please take care of this now.

I generally think that Nyjer is an idiot, and watching the game on Saturday confirmed that when he would rather try to bump the catcher, rather than actually score a run. I got no problem with him stealing the bases tonight though, and getting pitched at twice probably merits a charge at the mound. My only problem is that he is so damed pleased with himself... Definitely a long-term liability to an otherwise pretty classy organization.

What has gotten into Nyjer Morgan? Maybe he has been smoking crack with Dmitri Young. Elijah Dukes was a model citizen in comparison when he was with the Nats. . Something tells me Nyjer will be gone. It’s the curse of the bobble head. Once immortalize as a Nats bobble head, your playing times with the Nats are numbered with the exception of Z Man. You watch, both Nyer and Dunn will be gone because of the curse.

I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THESE GUYS ARE PROFESSIONALS (REALLY WELL PAID PROFESSIONALS) AND THEY NEED TO ACT THE PART. IF I PUNCHED EVERYONE IN MY OFFICE THAT PISSED ME OFF I WOULD BE FIRED, AND IF I THREW A STAPLER AT MY CLIENTS, I WOULD PROBABLY BE ARRESTED AND FIRED. MY 6 YEAR OLD WAS WATCHING ESPN WHEN THEY AIRED IT AND I HAD TO EXPLAIN HOW WRONG IT WAS...COME ON MORGAN, THINK OF THE KIDS AND THINK OF THE "GAME"....FIRE HIS PUNK @%!

The Marlins only brought it on themselves, Nyjer Morgan was only defending himself and his team. When I was taught in baseball when someone blocks the base or stands in front of the base, knock them the hell out of the way! When the pitcher kept hitting him and the other players with the baseball he was only taking up for himself and his teammates. He was only doing what anyone else would have done! He is so good and quick at stealing the bases that they are just trying to get him fired. I have a new nickname for him--Nyjer, the Badger. If you mess with him, he will bit your ass!

I absolutely disagree. If you must trade Tony Plush, trade him because he blows off the cut-off or makes bad decisions on base paths. I am a season ticket holder and will applaud him the next time he is in town.

Tangent...and, he is a true eighth spot hitter in the NL and hopefully that can be embraced until the Nats can maybe find a true lead-off hitter. Carl Crawford anyone???

What people don't seem to realize is Nyjer Morgan told the Malrins to go fuck them selves after he did all his base running. He was just asking to get hit again. He didn't get hit. It would have been ball one. Instead of maybe getting on base and possibly scoring again to help his team's cause he and a bunch of other people got thrown out suspended and fined. End result, Nationals still lost and looked stupid doing it.